Two days before the wrap of the games, South Africa had 33 medals – 12 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals.

South Africa is lying fifth in the medals tally behind Canada and just ahead of Nigeria (also on 33 medals, but with 10 golds) and Kenya with 28 medals.

Leading the medal count is Australia with 160 medals, with England second on 138 medals.

“You have inspired millions of our youth to also strive to become champions,” said Maseko, adding that the athletics authorities also deserved praise for doing everything possible to prepare the country’s athletes for the games.

He said 2010 would be remembered as the year in which South Africa and its fellow IBSA partner, India, demonstrated that developing nations are capable of organising successful global sporting events.

Meanwhile, Maseko reminded South Africans to ready themselves for the October 2011 census.

Preparations are well underway by Statistics SA ahead of the country’s biggest census.

Maseko said Stats SA was putting in place measures, such as security arrangements, for the 120 000 census workers expected to cover 14 million households.

“A public awareness campaign is already underway and the public are urged to participate in the census to ensure accurate data is received about the state of the country to improve planning and batter resource allocation,” he said.

Maseko said no decision had been taken on whether to declare as national holidays those days on which the census will be held. – BuaNews

Cape Town – Cabinet has praised South African athletes’ performance in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games while congratulating India for overcoming the odds in hosting the games Addressing journalists following this morning’s ordinary cabinet meeting government spokesperson Themba Maseko said South Africa’s athletes had made the country proud by bringing home so many medals